NBC News Acquires Citizen Journalism Start-Up Stringwire

NBC News announced on Monday that it had acquired the user-generated live video service Stringwire, and hired its founder Phil Groman.

Stringwire's technology will provide the NBCUniversal News Group’s television and digital properties with new means for newsgathering and eyewitness user-generated video content. Groman joins NBC News as Product Lead and will be based out of the NBC News Digital Group's San Francisco office.Stringwire was developed by Groman as a service for news organizations to request video from a network of verified contributors with connected mobile devices capable of streaming video across the globe. For breaking news and stories that have a real-time visual component, Stringwire's services provide the ability to recruit and direct contributors based on geographical location through Twitter, and to instantly access live footage. Aside from Groman’s use of Stringwire during Hurricane Sandy and the Kenyan elections, NBC News will be the first media organization to use the technology for live event coverage."Stringwire is at the leading edge of user-generated video products, with immediate value to our on-air and digital businesses. Long-term, we think there is great commercial potential" said Vivian Schiller, SVP & Chief Digital Officer at NBC News. "Phil is an incredibly talented developer and inventor who will bring a wealth of innovative and entrepreneurial experience to the NBC News Digital Group."

Groman is a graduate of New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), where he specialized in the design and production of mobile experiences. Stringwire was built out of Groman’s Master’s thesis. Prior to ITP, he spent two years in South Africa and Kenya as a designer and innovator at Afroes, a mobile development studio building applications for campaigning and education.

About NBC News Digital Group

NBC News Digital Group is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and visually engaging stories on your platform of choice. NBC News Digital Group features world-class brands including NBCNews.com, msnbc.com, TODAY.com, theGrio.com, NBCLatino.com, NBCPolitics.com, iVillage, Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline, Newsvine, Breaking News, and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties. We provide something for every news consumer with our comprehensive offerings that deliver the best in breaking news, segments from your favorite NBC News shows, live video coverage, original journalism, lifestyle features, commentary and local updates.